32nd Street Traffic Interchange Study

After several months of environmental study and reevaluation, the Arizona Department of Transportation is moving forward with plans to add an interchange at 32nd Street for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway. Previous plans had the freeway passing over 32nd Street with no direct access.

Construction of the connecting ramps will occur at a later date following the opening of the South Mountain Freeway. ADOT will construct the interchange as a separate project to ensure that the additional work won’t delay the opening of the South Mountain Freeway, which is set for as early as late 2019.

Approved Interchange Concept

Background and History

The recommendation to remove a traffic interchange (TI) at 32nd Street and the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway was made during the development of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) by the South Mountain Citizens Advisory Team (CAT) in 2005. Based on the input received from the CAT and the City of Phoenix, ADOT agreed to no longer study a potential interchange at 32nd Street. In 2006, the City of Phoenix conducted a traffic circulation study to evaluate the impacts of the proposed freeway on the local street system, including the elimination of the interchange at 32nd Street. The City study found no adverse effects on the local street system from the freeway with or without an interchange.

After the Record of Decision (ROD) and prior to construction starting on the project, ADOT and the freeway developer, Connect 202 Partners (C202P) participated in a Public Input meeting for the freeway in the Ahwatukee Foothills Village. During the fall 2016 meeting, the community, including local and state officials, expressed an interest in re-considering the need for an interchange at 32nd Street. The concerns raised by the community included the concern that traffic would increase substantially on Liberty Lane and Lakewood Parkway (both minor collectors) because vehicles currently using 32nd Street would need to get to 24th or 40th streets to access the new freeway. This additional traffic would pass directly by a number of local schools.

More recently, the project team had received numerous requests from the local community and schools to revisit construction of an interchange at 32nd Street. The study of this interchange had also been supported by elected officials and the Maricopa Association of Governments.